Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Meet the real architects

Neighbour Olav reminded me the other day of author Grey Owl and his book, Sajo and the Beaver People. I remember loving that book, but no longer have the foggiest notion of what it was about.

Found a 1928 documentary about Grey Owl and the beavers. "Ruthless greed and slaughter have reduced this magnificent race," the film states. They actually thought things were bad then.

Grey Owl wasn't really First Nation, by the way. That happens sometimes. Forrest Carter and Ward Churchill tried that thing too. Many find this attempt to go native silly in a very deep, profound way. It's not such a big deal to me, though I have decided I am not going to be "into" other peoples too much, as this is only humiliating to me and embarrassing to others.

2 comments:

I remember Sajo and the beaver Babies: Chilawee and Chikanee, and the brother Sapian. It is an epic story of Indians, nature, Fur hunting and the nature of beaver life, with beautiful drawings and a facinatng story. Part of my childhood reeading, along with Barskinger på Brånåsen by Ebba Haslund, a story modeled on Arctic Explorers, Greenland dogs and adolescent tomboy girls.J

About

Not a hermit any more, strictly speaking.

I have lived in assorted woodland cabins almost my entire adult life, lately five years on my own land, five miles from the nearest road. No mains electricity, no running water. After a decade of mushing, I am now preparing myself for fatherhood and spending more time in The Towns.